Chances
are if you've heard of They Live, it is for one of two reasons.
One, you've heard the line that launched a million t-shirts: "I
have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I'm all out of
bubblegum." Or two: You've seen the prolonged alleyway fight
scene between Roddy Piper and Keith David on YouTube (or the
fantastic South Park parody of it). But if you've never seen the
film itself those two things might give you the impression that it's
just another cheesy action flick from the eighties, but in keeping
with the theme of the film, appearances can be deceiving. Lying
underneath the surface of this sci-fi/action flick is a film howling
in fury against mindless greed and corruption.

The
story follows construction worker John Nada (played by former pro
wrestler Roddy Piper) as he comes to L.A. looking for work in the
midst of a recession-hit economy. His journey takes him to a homeless
shelter where he makes fast friends with fellow worker Frank (Keith
David) and witnesses some shady dealings happening in the church
across the street involving the people running the shelter. After the
shelter is hit and destroyed by a violent police raid, Nada inspects
the church and retrieves what seem to be an innocent pair of
sunglasses. But as he puts them on they reveal to him the world as it
really is: a world that's really being run by aliens who are intent
on bleeding the world dry of its natural resources. And when the
aliens realize that he can see them, his day only gets worse from
there.

When
talking about They Live, it's impossible to avoid talking about it
politics. It has much to say about American society in the eighties
(although somewhat depressingly, a lot of it rings just as true now).
It sees a society where the only goal of the rich is to get richer
and the poor are thrown onto the scrap heap with no help or support.
Its people are literally being brainwashed by the TV into following
the status quo. It's a society where everyone is out for
themselves, and greed and apathy have completely taken hold. This is
director John Carpenter's view of Reagan-era America and its
values, and it's a grim one.

And
into this world steps Nada, who is almost the walking embodiment of
traditional American values. He's a simple, soft-spoken man who
believes in his country and is willing to work hard for a day's
pay. He won't take a handout and he'll always do the honorable
thing. When he's given the chance to sell out and join the aliens,
he resists without a second thought. In a world where most people
would happily sell out for a taste of the good life, he stands alone.

In
stark contrast are the aliens themselves, who can best be described
as yuppies from outer space. They stand for all that's ugly in
humanity, be it greed, selflessness, indifference or just plain
inhumanity. They run the planet like it's a giant corporation, and
any voices of dissent are quickly crushed by the police. In putting a
character like Nada against the aliens the battle is symbolically the
poor vs. the rich, with the film putting forward the hopeful notion
that traditional ideals will always win out in the end.

That
said the film isn't some joyless exercise in finger pointing, and
it's entirely possible to sit back and enjoy it as a cool action
movie. It has a lot of dry humor running throughout, be it the
subliminal messages hidden in every sign and advert (all dollar bills
read: "THIS IS YOUR GOD") and the film makes good use of the
sunglasses stark black and white look, making for some arresting, and
chilling, visuals. The action scenes themselves are well staged and
exciting, belying the film's modest budget. As a leading man Piper
turns in a nice subdued performance and he makes for a very likable
hero. Once he goes into action hero mode he has a steady supply of
wry one-liners to help keep things light. And he bounces nicely off
of the ever reliable Keith David as Frank, who is another good man
just trying to get by.

All
the classic trademarks of a John Carpenter film are correct and
present. He composed the moody score. He wrote the screenplay (under
a pseudonym) and once again the plot is a Western in disguise: a lone
hero rides, or in this case walks, into town and rights the wrongs.
And in addition to all the political subtext and symbolism, Carpenter
also takes his time with the pacing of the film. He gives you time to
get to know the characters and the world first before the main story
kicks in. This deliberate pacing also lulls you into a false sense of
security. A scene can start serenely before being punctuated with a
sudden burst of violence, such a scene where Meg Foster is talking
softly before a massive explosion in the background shatters the
peace.

And
as for that famous fight scene it completely earns its place in the
hall of great cinematic punch ups. Is this lengthy brawl involving
Piper trying to convince David's character to try on some
sunglasses strictly necessary to the plot? Not really. Is it awesome
and hilarious? Absolutely. The longer it goes on the funnier and
nastier it becomes, almost straying into the area of a live action
cartoon. It be could argued that the fight is symbolic of how
sometime's people must be forced to confront the grim reality of
their lives, but it's probably best to not overanalyze it.

They
Live is that rare film that works as both a cutting political satire
and a rollicking good action film. It's a unique fusion and the
work of a great director operating at the peak of his powers. And
with or without the famous fight scene the film is underseen gem
whose message sadly still rings disturbingly true today.